Canadians are frequently accused of being obsessed with the weather. Perhaps it’s our predictable salutations – “Cold enough for you?”– or because many genuinely enjoy complaining until that “Goldilocks” (just right) forecast occurs, usually about 2.5 times a year. But after any Canadian-style winter — brief, bracing or just bloody endless — most of us will be happy to welcome the sunshine back into our lives and everything that comes with it.
Here is my own top ten list:
10. After months of frigid shovelling, I absolutely revel in entering a hot car. I love the sear of the seat against my bare legs, and I don’t mind that the ice in my drink is melting; I understand the value of air conditioning of course, but let’s also take a moment to appreciate theabsence of icy nuggets clinging to mitts and the shuddering whirr of a defrost fan …
9. Crisp salad greens (and who doesn’t like saying “arugula?”), one-slice-does-it tomatoes and gleaming yellow corn are but a few of the local foods available during an Ontario summer. But wait, there’s more! During sultry afternoons, that same delicious food can be prepped outside. I treasure those pioneer moments of shelling peas or prepping strawberries on my lap in the open air, with a cold glass of Pinot and a dog by my side. Bliss!
8. Every year it’s a miracle when the gnarled, bare dirt seen from my window suddenly changes to a mass of swaying colour, hosting bees and toads alike. The garden becomes an extra room — and it’s already full of flowers!
7. There are so many scents particular to this time of year: that sweet smell of earth after a downpour; the united char of neighbourhood BBQing; an acrid tang hanging in the night air after fireworks; the familiar smell of burning sugar that occurs when someone was trying (unsuccessfully, alas) to toast their marshmallow all the way round. So Canadian.
6. Ice cream remains a traditional treat and there are endless innovative combos available. Gone are the days when parents would slice up a stiff carton of tri-colour ‘Neapolitan’ and pass it off as the ultimate crowd pleaser. (My brother used to muddle his own portion into a kind of concrete-beige, an image that still haunts my dreams.)
5. There’s nothing like the familiar excitement of unlocking the door to a cottage every year. A fire might be lit to chase away the dampness, sand half-heartedly swept out, and then comes the heady anticipation of swimming, hanging out on the dock and simple grilled suppers. We always bought a pie on the way, always at the same place, as well as a zucchini relish, only available locally. For two weeks we gradually reverted to the wild, going to bed and rising with the sun as our guide.
4. Summer brings a distinctive playlist and I’m not talking about the kind that roofers always seem to favour (although I’m certainly not averse to hearing a few familiar bangers either). But what about the distant hum of a lawn mower, crickets chirruping at night, tinkling laughter carried in the night air from a neighbours’ porch or collective cheers from a baseball game? The piercing cry of a loon heard while camping and the soft splish of a canoe paddle.
3. It’s a small thing but I do enjoy the meditative act of hanging laundry outside. Hearing the satisfying snap of the wind softening sheets or freshening a hall carpet can offer real satisfaction. (Beware of unfurling the occasional disgruntled wasp later on though, as this could impact the rest of your evening …)
2. Nothing says summer like a road trip, even if only for the day. Sometimes just driving out into one of the many smaller towns can provide a true respite and the discovery of an antique shop, a new-to-you burger joint or bakery can be delightful finds. Specialty coffees for the journey and the endless ribbon of road ahead provide welcome changes to routine. A roadside stand may tempt you later with freshly dug potatoes, green beans and a basket of fresh raspberries. BBQ some salmon and dinner’s a snap after a long relaxing day.
1. Picnics are a special part of summer but the allure of a good food truck at one’s destination cannot be easily dismissed (especially if you have children onboard). I’ve learned to embrace this and even morph it into a tradition. Although we may not have planned for those freshly cut fries, empanadas or gourmet hot dogs for lunch, that same careful picnic can easily re-appear as a welcome dinner later on, after a day in the sun and a long drive home has rendered everyone too languid to cook.
Summer is here — so let’s enjoy every bit! •
